The Palmaz Theory
by Chocolate X My Mouth
Summary: Ray Palmer and Zari Tomaz go out on their first date. And if you have ever wanted to see them eat at a French restaurant before cutting loose on the town like they're in a Broadway musical, boy, you are in for a treat! And also, Gary's here. Because why not.


**Okay guys, this is something I want to say: I don't mind Avalance, and I'm cool with the relationship. But I personally believe it should've remained a frenemy relationship. For me, it was SO AWESOME to see Sara and Ava duke it out and actually have to call it a draw... but whatever. That's just my stupid opinion. XD**

 **But here's something for the fellow Palmaz shippers: their first date (I SHIP THESE TWO SO MUCH...). So here we go! Boy I hope this turns out alright XD**

 **And I'm not ashamed to say it: I'm probably the co-biggest Palmaz shipper on here, along with my bestie, radpineapple. XD**

 **DISCLAIMER: lyrics are from the movie La La Land. And this takes place around 3.12, so quite a bit after Zari has joined the team.**

* * *

"You _what?_ " Amaya said, standing in the corner of the engine room with Zari.

And she couldn't believe what she had just heard...

"You heard me," Zari said, blushing so hard, her cheeks were as red as Ray's suit. "I uh... have a date with Ray."

Amaya squealed in excitement, engulfing the youngest Legend in a deep deep hug. "Zari! I'm so proud of you!"

"I didn't ask him," Zari said.

"No, for agreeing!" Amaya said. "And I'm proud of Ray for asking you too but still! Oh gosh, where's he taking you?"

"Some place called _Beauté Du Clair de Lune_ ," Zari said, struggling a bit with her French.

"That means 'Beauty of Moonlight', sounds fancy!" Amaya said.

"Yeah, which is why I'm worried," Zari said. "If I wear what I normally wear they'll kick me out."

Amaya suddenly smiled, "I bet Sara can help you with that."

"How so?" Zari asked.

"She has a full closet reserved for date nights," Amaya said, "and if you mention to her I told you that, Ray will have to look for a new girlfriend VERY fast..."

Zari raised her hands. "Okay..."

Amaya's smiled suddenly returned, along with her bubbly mood, "Great! Just come to me for your hair and makeup. I love doing hair."

"Sure thing," Zari said, giving two thumbs up.

Amaya then hugged Zari once more, before sending her on her way to Sara's room.

* * *

So of course, Sara was happy to help Zari. However, help focused more on walking in a pair of heels Zari was _very_ unfamiliar and unfriendly with.

"You sure you wanna do this?" Sara asked. "It takes a minute to get used to high heels, and no one will think less of you if you just wear flats."

"Nope, I need these," Zari said. "Ray is a damn redwood tree compared to me. I wanna at least be able to kiss him without doing a Michael Jackson toe stand."

Sara started giggling a bit. "Oh gosh, you can be so cute... I can see why Ray fell for you."

Zari sighed, "Look... if you tell anyone this, I will find some way to kill you, okay?"

"Sure, go ahead," Sara said.

Zari gulped... "I asked Ray, okay?"

Sara, however, smirked instead of rebuking her. "I can see why you would. I mean, let's be real here: he's the hottest dude on the Waverider right now."

"Oh God, you're so right," Zari said.

Sara then started laughing hysterically. She had just gotten Zari to admit that...

It took Zari a minute to realize what the hell she had just confessed, and how she sounded saying said confession...

She didn't hesitate another second to sprint out, keeping the heels on (a near-fatal mistake for her ankles), and then, as if today couldn't get any worst: she ran into Ray.

"Hey Z!" he said cheerfully, catching her from falling. "Ready for tonight?"

"Uh...y-y-yeah!" Zari said.

"But, uh...those heels don't really fit with jeans, Sara told me that once," Ray said, pointing to her feet.

Zari began to think up excuses for wearing them, other than for practicing in them for the date.

Suddenly, it came to her...

Only Gideon could fix her ankles after this.

"Uh-I was pract-practicing a tap dance!" Zari said.

"Oh... you uh, can tap dance?" Ray asked.

"Y-Yeah!" Zari said.

She then did a small number, made up of literally nothing but the definition of improv times a million.

Ray just stared at her in awe, not caring how bad her skills were. It was so damn adorable.

When she finished, she struck a pose, screamed "Ta-Da!", and ran to her room and began to cry.

It was about five minutes later that she heard her door open, and a hand be placed on her shoulder.

"Hey, don't be so embarrassed," the soft voice said.

Zari's tear stained face looked up, and there was Ray Palmer, dork extraordinaire. "How can I not be?"

"You... somehow, you did that routine perfectly," Ray chuckled. "I looked it up, and that was the number to 'Good Morning'. You were amazing!"

Zari smiled up at him. "T-Thank you Ray. I'm sorry about ruining the night for us."

"What're you talking about?" Ray said, almost laughing. "The night hasn't even started!"

"Oh god, how could you go out with me?" Zari asked, almost chuckling at the idea that Ray would still want to do this.

"Because... let's be real for a minute, I've done more dorky things than tap dance in front of my crush," Ray said, chuckling.

"That is between you and me only," Zari said dangerously.

"Roger that," Ray smiled, running off to get changed.

Zari couldn't believe she had just did that... "Gideon, play back footage of my... uh, 'tap dance' please."

" _Gladly, Ms. Tomaz,_ " Gideon giggled.

Zari looked at it... it wasn't as bad as she thought. She even gave herself a mini round of applause before heading off to change.

* * *

"God, this place is fancy," Zari said once they had gotten their table.

"Sorry if its a bit too much," Ray said.

"No no no! Its beautiful!" Zari said. "I just... didn't expect so much..."

Suddenly, a waitress came over. "Bonjour! Que voulez-vous que les gens adorent boire?" (Hello! What do you lovely people want to drink?)

Ray froze... he didn't know a damn word in French.

Suddenly Zari piped up, "Je pense que nous aurons de l'eau et de la limonade, s'il vous plaît." (I think we shall have a water and lemonade, please.)

Their waitress smiled. "Je vais les préparer!" (I will prepare them!)

Zari winked at the young lady, causing her to blush as she went back to get their beverages. Ray just looked at her with a dropped mouth.

"W-What..." he stuttered.

"Yeah, I took a lot of French in my school days," Zari said, blushing madly. "Along with Spanish."

Ray marveled at how amazing Zari was... she was already wonderful. And she was so pretty too...

"Ray? Hey... you there Palmer?" she asked, slightly giggling.

"W-wha? Oh, yeah of course!" Ray said. "I just uh..."

"Am I boring you?" Zari asked, smirking. "You know I can always tell Sara you need your ass handed to you."

"Tell me about it," Ray muttered. Zari pretended to look deeply offended, which he thought was cute.

"How dare you?" she said, trying to hold back some giggling.

Then, their waitress returned with their drinks. Ray pointed out what he would like, and Zari ordered for herself. She smiled and went back to the kitchen.

About ten minutes later, their food had been delivered to them. They happily ate together, thoroughly enjoying the company of one another. Their hands brushed against one another occasionally, causing little blushes and longer contact between them.

Zari wanted more...

So did Ray.

And soon, they left after paying. They found a nice and empty park to walk together in, holding hands... mainly for warmth, as they would put it.

"Hey, I had a great time tonight," Ray smiled down at her.

"I did too," said Zari. "Y'know... you aren't so bad Palmer."

"And neither are you, Ms. Tomaz," smiled Ray.

Zari found it pretty much impossible to wipe the stupid grins off of Ray's face, along with her own face.

She didn't know why... but she was so damn happy right now.

Suddenly, Ray started to hum some sort of tune... and Zari immediately recognized it.

"A-Are you humming that one song from that cheesy rom-com you enjoy so much?" Zari asked.

" _The sun is nearly gone, the lights are turning on,_ " Ray lightly sang, " _A silver shine that stretches to the sea_..."

He then gestured for Zari to start singing, to which she tried to remember what little she could...

" _We've stumbled on a view, that's tailor-made for two_ ," Zari sang, shocking Ray with how pure her voice was, " _What a shame those two are you and me_..."

She then put her hands in her coat pockets, and began to lightly tap her feet, making Ray smile even wider.

This date was _PERFECT._

You couldn't convince either of them anything else.

" _Some other girl and guy, would love this swirling sky_ ," the two sang together, " _But there's only you and I, and we've got no shot_!"

"Wait," Ray said, pausing. "We do have a chance, right?"

"...Of course, you doofus," Zari said. "Now, lets get back to that rhythm we had going."

"Roger," Ray said.

" _And there's not a spark in sight... what a waste of a lovely night_ ," Ray sang, as Zari scooted off to the side to begin a tap routine similar to the one she broke out into back on the Waverider.

" _You say there's nothing here? Well, let's make something clear_ ," Zari said, not stopping the routine she was doing, " _I think I'll be the one to make that call_."

" _You'll call_?" Suddenly, Ray imitated having a partner, and broke out into a swing dance-of sorts. Ray was actually not that experienced of a dancer; but Zari was just improvising. Later on they would call it even.

And they were both enjoying the hell out of this.

The two had forgotten the lyrics at this point, and were just laughing and improvising the dance steps they were doing. We use the word "steps" VERY lightly.

They eventually liked hands, and started skipping around. Well, Zari shuffled, Ray jumped now and then...

Again, we use these words LIGHTLY.

But finally, after frolicking around for long enough, their feet began to ache and their eyes began to grow weary.

"Wanna go back?" asked Zari.

"Heck yes," Ray sighed, smiling wide as ever still.

With that, they walked off into the distance, eagerly trying to find the jump ship to change out of their date night clothes. But not to get out of each other's grasps, oh no...

But what they hadn't realized was that... they were being watched.

A security guard had stood by and watched the whole thing.

He then spoke into his walkie-talkie...

"Captain Lance, 'Operation: Palmaz' was a complete success!" he said excitedly.

" _Nice job, Gary,_ " Sara said into his device. " _Now get back to the ship._ "

Gary eagerly hopped through the time courier portal onto the Waverider, and was congratulated by everyone for reporting back to them.

* * *

In about thirty minutes however, Ray Palmer's bed was occupied by twice the individuals that normally slept in there.

A giggling Zari Tomaz, now clothed in his pajamas, had stolen half of the bed for herself.

"Well how else am I gonna breathe?" Ray smirked, looking down at the little spoon he was currently holding.

"I dunno," Zari said, smiling up at him. "Find a way, cause I ain't going anywhere."

Ray smirked, "Fine by me."

The two then lay there in silence for a few minutes, no words exchanged at all. You could probably hear a feather drop, as they were just breathing and loving the company of one another.

"Hey," Zari whispered.

"Hmm?" Ray asked, opening his eyes.

"Goodnight Ray," she said, smiling at him.

Ray smiled, and leaned over to kiss Zari's forehead.

"Goodnight Z," Ray said.

Zari felt the covers being dragged up over their bodies, and just as her eyes closed, she could swear this...

She heard Ray whisper "I love you."

And she whispered back "I love you too."

* * *

 **How was that? Palmaz for the soul peeps XD**

 **This isn't my last Palmaz fic! I'm doing another one fairly soon actually! :D So stay tuned guys! Thanks for reading, and reviews are greatly appreciated!**


End file.
